Pastry Dough for a Two-crust 9-inch Pie

I’ve been making this Pastry Dough for a Two-crust 9-inch Pie (from Fannie Farmer) FOREVER. There are lots of great pastry doughs out there, and you should definitely know a few, but if you’re only going to learn one, it should probably be this Pastry Dough for a Two-crust 9-inch Pie. It’s great for pies, quiche, Snow Day Chicken Pot Pie, and tarts. Pastry Dough for a Two-crust 9-inch Pie keeps well in the freezer. I often have one on hand, for just in case.

¾ cups butter; diced and very cold
½ teaspoons salt
2 ½ cups flour; put it in the food processor bowl and put it in the fridge for an hour
6 – 7 tablespoons ice water

Preheat oven to 425° F. Food process the salt, flour and butter until tiny peas form. Slowly add in the water until the mixture just holds together.  It won’t be uniform or a solid mass. Remove and form into a ball with your hands. Divide in two. Sprinkle counter with flour. Roll out the bottom layer as thinly as possible. Set into pie pan. Fill with fruit of your choice (sour cherries pictured). Roll out top layer. Cover. Decorate as you see fit.